Flesh-Eating Screwworm Has Reached the US — a Comeback Driven by Organized Crime
USDA says the parasite has spread north from Central America as illegal cattle smuggling and weak screening fuel the outbreak.
- On Monday, the USDA announced that a dog in southern New Mexico tested positive for screwworm, marking the state's first confirmed case following the parasite's northward spread from Central America through Mexico and Texas.
- Illegal cattle trafficking and regional migration have accelerated the parasite's return to previously eradicated territory, with researcher Jeremy Radachowsky warning that smugglers move livestock across borders without health screenings.
- Screwworms incubate exclusively in the wounds of warm-blooded animals, including dogs and cattle. Ecologist Andr Lira noted the parasite is highly prevalent in dogs, compounded by limited animal control services in Latin America.
- Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller criticized the USDA's response, demanding the department use the Screwworm Adult Suppression System . Miller claimed he has provided Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins information about the technique three separate times.
- Coordinated action between the United States, Mexico, and Central American nations is necessary to manage the parasite's spread. Without such intervention, the pest continues to move north, threatening broader regions previously protected by fly sterilization programs.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Screwworm was found in a dog that visited Texas. What does that mean for your pets?
LUBBOCK — The New World screwworm has burrowed itself into Texans’ consciousness after the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed seven cases — six in Texas and one in New Mexico — in the last week.
The Daily Sentinel
The Gilmer MirrorScrewworm was found in a dog in Texas. What does that mean for your pets?
LUBBOCK — The New World screwworm has burrowed itself into Texans’ consciousness after the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed seven cases — six in Texas and one in New Mexico — in the last week.
Flesh-eating screwworm found in New Mexico dog as outbreak appears to spread beyond Texas
A parasite that the United States eliminated decades ago is drawing fresh concern again, and a newly identified infection in a New Mexico dog is raising fears that the outbreak may no longer be limited to Texas. What's happening? On Monday, June 8, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced several more New World screwworm detections, Gizmodo reported. The announcement came only days after officials confirmed the first local livestock infectio…
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